Just when you think fresh zucchini is over and out for the season, someone gives you a bag of zucchini from their garden, or maybe the one huge zucchini that grew well hidden amongst the foliage. What to do? Make dessert, a healthy mock apple pie using zucchini. I swear, if you didn’t tell them they wouldn’t know.

Years ago, a baker friend emailed a short cryptic recipe for “Pretend Apple Pie”, made with zucchini instead of apples. “Tastes like apple pie”, she wrote. I told myself one day I’d try her recipe, making it healthier and vegan, with less sugar.

Arrowroot flour is a more nutritious substitute for cornstarch or flour. Ground from root tubers of the tropical arrowroot plant into a starch-like white powder, arrowroot starch aka powder or flour is completely neutral in taste and translucent clear when cooked.

Why should you preheat the oven at a higher temperature than baking temp? Ovens lose 35 to 50 degrees of heat when opened. Preheat the oven to 425°F to compensate for the heat loss, then turn the dial down to 400°F. when the pie goes in the oven.

Stir the flour and salt in a bowl. In another bowl or the liquid measuring cup, using a fork, whisk the oil and water until it lightens in color, about 15 seconds.

Immediately pour the oil/water mixture into the flour. Mix with a fork until all the flour is incorporated. Work gently with your hands until the dough holds together for the most part. (Add a bit more water, a teaspoon at a time, if needed, but be careful--too much moisture takes away from the flaky texture.) The dough will always be a bit crumbly but will become a beautiful pastry once you press it in the pan.

Press the dough evenly on the bottom, up the sides, and onto the rim of a 9-inch pie pan, pushing the dough with your fingers, patching in the thin spots. The dough comes together the more you work it into the pan and up on the rim. Crimp the dough on the rim in a fluted shape.

Prepare the zucchini:

Peel the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape out and discard the seeds. Slice about 1/8-inch thick. You should have 7 or so cups of sliced zucchini in half-ring shape.

Place zucchini in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover and steam 5 to 7 minutes, until the zucchini is no longer raw yet not soft. Drain and let sit in the colander while you prepare the crumble.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. (You will bake the pie at 400°F. but you want it preheated at the higher temperature.)

The crumble:

Put the oats, almond flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Pour in the oil and use your hands to mix everything together.

Assemble the pie:

Dump the steamed and drained zucchini into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, arrowroot and lemon juice. Immediately spoon the zucchini mixture into the prepared piecrust, pouring the juices from the bowl over the zucchini. Cover the zucchini evenly with the crumble, pressing it gently into the fruit and tucking in any zucchini slices poking out around the sides.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and you see evidence of bubbling juices around the sides. Let cool minimum one hour before cutting.

Recipe Notes

Coconut sugar has a caramel brown sugar-like flavor and is less sweet than cane sugar. You could also use brown sugar.

I recommend weighing the almond flour--a cup of almond flour can vary tremendously in weight, from 2 ½ to 4 ounces, depending on how compact or loose the flour.

Hello and welcome!
I’m Letty.
I create meatless and plant-based recipes with seasonal whole foods, just for you! My wish is to inspire you, to help you cook food that's both healthy and delicious!
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